Michigan State vs. Oakland

Should I go to Michigan State University or Oakland University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Michigan State or Oakland is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Michigan State University vs. Oakland University comparison
Michigan State University Oakland University College 3 College 4
Michigan State University Oakland University
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Overview

Michigan State Oakland
Location East Lansing, MI Rochester Hills, MI
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 51,316 15,922
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #227 #764
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website msu.edu oakland.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Michigan State Oakland
Tuition (In State) $15,648 $14,694
Tuition (Out of State) $43,032 $23,188
Room & Board $11,754 $11,309
Avg Net Price $24,630 $15,734
Avg Grant Aid $8,147 $9,641
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 92%

Admission

Michigan State Oakland
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,879 12,398
Admitted 49,414 8,708
Acceptance Rate 83.9% 70.2%
Enrolled % 19.3% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.51
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31
SAT Range 1150/1350 995/1185
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

Michigan State Oakland
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Michigan State Oakland
Graduation Rate 77% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,000 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,484 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $263 $258

Diversity

Michigan State Oakland
% Men 9% 8%
% Women 12% 12%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 76%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 13% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

Michigan State Oakland
% In-State 76% 96%
% Out-of-State 18% 2%

Campus

Michigan State Oakland
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Michigan State University is larger than than Oakland based on total student enrollment (51,316 students vs. 15,922 students)

Michigan State vs. Oakland Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Michigan State or Oakland?

  • Michigan State University is 6.5% more expensive to attend than Oakland for in-state tuition ($15,648.00 vs. $14,694.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 85.6% higher at Michigan State than Oakland University ($43,032.00 vs. $23,188.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Oakland University than Michigan State ($15,734 vs. $24,630)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oakland University are 3.9% lower than costs at Michigan State University ($11,309 vs. $11,754)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Michigan State University than Oakland University (96% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Oakland University students is 18.3% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($9,641 vs. $8,147)

Michigan State vs. Oakland Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Michigan State or Oakland? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Oakland or Michigan State .

  • The average SAT score at Michigan State University (1159) is 89 points higher than at Oakland (1070)
  • Incoming Michigan State students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Oakland (23)
  • Accepted freshman Michigan State students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Oakland (3.51)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (83.9%) than Oakland (70.2%)

Michigan State vs. Oakland Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Michigan State or Oakland? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Oakland and Michigan State.

  • The graduation rate at Michigan State is higher than Oakland University (77% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Michigan State University earn on average $13,300 more per year than Oakland graduates after ten years. ($60,000 vs. $46,700)
  • Oakland University students graduate with a $484 lower median federal student loan debt than Michigan State graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,484)
  • Oakland graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Michigan State graduates. ($258 vs. $263)
  • More Michigan State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Oakland students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 51%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/